Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Whangarei Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Whangarei

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,353 in Calgary versus $1,604 in Whangarei.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,488 in Calgary versus $2,500 in Whangarei.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,622 in Calgary versus $3,396 in Whangarei.

Living in Calgary is roughly 47% more expensive than in Whangarei, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 71% above, Whangarei 17% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.94 CA$24.82

$21.00 NZ$35.70

-14.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.5 CA$97.6

$84.0 NZ$143

-16.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.69 CA$14.79

$9.94 NZ$16.89

7.55%

Cappuccino

$3.79 CA$5.24

$3.92 NZ$6.66

-3.32%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 CA$2.77

$2.19 NZ$3.72

-8.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 CA$2.73

$1.67 NZ$2.83

18.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.19 CA$7.18

$5.88 NZ$10.00

-11.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.86 CA$8.11

$7.23 NZ$12.30

-18.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 CA$2.70

$1.62 NZ$2.76

20.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.82 CA$3.91

$1.99 NZ$3.39

41.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.61 CA$7.77

$1.75 NZ$2.97

220.57%

Eggs

$3.75 CA$5.19

$6.38 NZ$10.84

-41.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.50 CA$15.91

$8.42 NZ$14.31

36.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.46 CA$15.86

$9.30 NZ$15.81

23.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.95 CA$26.23

$15.89 NZ$27.01

19.26%

Apples (1kg)

$4.83 CA$6.69

$3.59 NZ$6.10

34.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 CA$1.89

$2.21 NZ$3.75

-38.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.25 CA$5.88

$3.13 NZ$5.32

35.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 CA$5.74

$3.21 NZ$5.46

29.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.70 CA$3.74

$2.31 NZ$3.93

16.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.83 CA$3.91

$1.75 NZ$2.98

61.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.65

$1.78 NZ$3.03

48.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 CA$2.09

$1.25 NZ$2.12

20.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.60 CA$20.21

$26.20 NZ$44.54

-44.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.76 CA$21.80

$10.11 NZ$17.18

55.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 CA$3.59

$2.35 NZ$3.99

10.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 CA$4.26

$2.91 NZ$4.95

5.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.93 CA$4.05

$1.76 NZ$2.99

66.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.3 CA$124

$139 NZ$236

-35.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.32 CA$4.59

$3.94 NZ$6.71

-15.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 CA$1.98

$1.71 NZ$2.91

-16.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.71 CA$38.34

$14.11 NZ$23.98

96.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 CA$1.74

$1.65 NZ$2.80

-23.64%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$28.9K CA$40.0K

$44.4K NZ$75.6K

-34.89%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$21.3K CA$29.5K

$23.4K NZ$39.8K

-8.90%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$183 CA$253

$139 NZ$236

31.77%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$38.31 CA$53.0

$35.99 NZ$61.2

6.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.7 CA$71.5

$52.9 NZ$89.9

-2.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.9 CA$75.9

$36.08 NZ$61.3

52.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.66 CA$25.82

$2.99 NZ$5.08

524.08%

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 CA$19.73

$10.51 NZ$17.87

35.68%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$828 CA$1,146

$748 NZ$1,272

10.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 CA$82.4

$75.3 NZ$128

-20.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.47 CA$54.6

$34.18 NZ$58.1

15.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 CA$131

$74.9 NZ$127

25.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 CA$156

$97.9 NZ$166

15.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,265 CA$1,750

$449 NZ$763

181.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,051 CA$1,454

$432 NZ$735

143.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,934 CA$2,676

$732 NZ$1,244

164.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,700 CA$2,352

$598 NZ$1,016

184.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,680 CA$5,092

$4,538 NZ$7,715

-18.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,333 CA$4,613

$3,383 NZ$5,751

-1.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,276 CA$4,533

$2,446 NZ$4,158

33.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.4

6.36

-30.82%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Calgary: September 1, 2026

Last update for Whangarei: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,265 in Calgary and $449 in Whangarei. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 34% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $71.0 in Calgary vs $84.0 in Whangarei. Groceries flip the comparison at $397 vs $318, with Whangarei cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Calgary vs Whangarei: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Whangarei is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 47% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 34% higher in Calgary, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,265 in Calgary versus $449 in Whangarei. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Whangarei – a meal for two runs $84.0 versus $71.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,353 per month in Calgary versus $1,604 in Whangarei – a 47% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,604 in Whangarei versus $2,353 in Calgary, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Whangarei but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Whangarei the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Calgary and Whangarei are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Whangarei gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.